Screen Print & Inkjet Fast T-Jet Blazer Pro User Manual Download Page 6

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The User Interface

The Mode Select Screen

The Manual Mechanism Movement Utility (MMMU) Screen

The Platen to Head Clearance Adjust (PHCA) Screen

System Printer Control Utility (SPCU) Screen

The Alarm Select Screen

Epson Driver Installation

Chapter 4- Initialization Utilities

Head Cleanings

Power Cleaning

Setting the Platen Height

Print Head Alignment

Using the Epson LFP Remote Panel

Head Alignments

Nozzle Check and Power Cleanings

Chapter 5- Software Overview

Graphics and RIP Software

FastARTIST and FastRIP

FastRIP

Using Computer Graphics Software

Editing Bitmap Artwork in FastARTIST/Photoshop

File Types and Resolutions

Check File Mode

Check File Size and Resolution

Check File Saturation

Sharpening Images

Using the Tone Curve

Bitmap Editing in FastARTIST

Selecting Areas

Channels and Layers

Setting Transparent Images in FastARTIST

Removing Backgrounds with Photoshop

Fixing Bad Line-Art in Photoshop and FastARTIST

Artwork for Light and Dark Garments

Chapter 6- Printing with the Fast T-Jet Blazer Pro

Basic Steps for Printing on a White Shirt

Shirtboards

The Steps of Printing

Fast T-Jet Blazer Pro User’s Manual

Summary of Contents for Fast T-Jet Blazer Pro

Page 1: ...User s Manual Fast T Jet Blazer Pro TJB 1650 A Product of December 2007 Version 3 5 Tempe Arizona USA ...

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Page 3: ...demarks of Adobe Inc Apple and Macintosh are trademarks of Apple Corp CorelDRAW is a registered trademark of the Corel Corporation Epson is a trademark of Epson Corporation Windows Windows XP Windows Vista and Windows 2000 are trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation Federal copyright laws permit you to make a backup of any Software included with your Fast T Jet Blazer Pro for ...

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Page 5: ...Magazines 5 Our Advice 5 Chapter 2 Unpacking and Setup 7 Unpacking your Fast T Jet Blazer Pro 7 Installing the User Interface 9 Overview of Printer Connections 10 Environmental Controls and Humidity 10 Final Unpacking Instructions 11 Plug the Unit into AC Power 12 Powering Your Printer ON and OFF 12 Connecting Your Printer to a Computer 13 Getting Ready to Print 13 Filling the Bulk Ink Cartridges ...

Page 6: ... and FastRIP 36 FastRIP 36 Using Computer Graphics Software 37 Image Types 37 Vector 37 Pixel Based Bitmap 38 Summary 38 Editing Bitmap Artwork in FastARTIST Photoshop 38 File Types and Resolutions 39 Check File Mode 40 Check File Size and Resolution 40 Check File Saturation 41 Sharpening Images 42 Using the Tone Curve 43 Bitmap Editing in FastARTIST 43 Selecting Areas 44 Channels and Layers 44 Se...

Page 7: ...hite Ink Troubleshooting 70 Chapter 8 Printing Other Items 71 Location and Placement 71 Adjusting the Platen Height 72 Non Textile Printing 73 Printing on Golf Balls 77 Non Textile Printing Tips 80 Chapter 9 Additional Utilities to Improve Print Quality 81 Regular Head Cleaning 81 Auto Head Cleanings 81 Waste Tank Maintenance 82 Print Head Replacement 83 Chapter 10 Preventative Maintenance and Pro...

Page 8: ... 111 Show off Your Work 111 Transporting Your Printer 112 Appendix A Operational Guide 113 Standards Compliance 113 Federal State and Local Laws Regulations and Standards 113 Summary of Customer Responsibilities 114 Room Preparation 115 Environment 115 Room Conditions 115 Electrical Requirements 115 Main Operator 117 Fast T Jet Blazer Pro Printer Specifications 118 Miscellaneous Information 119 Re...

Page 9: ... reality With the Fast T Jet Blazer Pro FastINK and readily available software technology you will be able to print high quality vibrant images on T Shirts and other garments in a matter of minutes Fast T Jet printers are ushering in a new level of sophistication for the garment decorating industry I appreciate any comments or feedback you have on our machine and hope you enjoy using it as much as...

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Page 11: ...ocks vibrations debris or dust Leave enough space around the printer for proper ventilation Do not leave the printer near heat sources such as radiators or heat vents Do not leave the printer in direct sunlight Place the printer on a stable surface that extends beyond the length and width of the printer supports The printer will not work properly if it is tilted or leaning When packing and moving ...

Page 12: ...ot dismantle the ink cartridge Do not touch the IC chip on the ink cartridges This will adversely effect normal printing operations Legend of Symbols Throughout this Manual you will see three symbols used to notify you of important facts or procedures This icon is used to denote important points that may affect the proper operation of your machine or the viability of its output Think of this as mo...

Page 13: ...te information at the time of printing We reserve the right to make product changes and improvements at any time Some product photos in this Manual may vary slightly from the currently shipping machine User s Manual Fast T Jet Blazer Pro An Overview ...

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Page 15: ...ying Fast T Jet Non Textile Pretreatment to the item before printing and Fast T Jet Non Textile Post Treatment to the item after printing The Blazer Pro is based on standard inkjet technology with the Epson 4800 being the heart of the system This means you can expect your printer to be reliable AND versatile The Fast T Jet Blazer Pro is also fast printing a standard T Shirt sized image in under tw...

Page 16: ... Wizard Even if you are utilizing an eight color system with NO White we recommend you Import your image in to FastARTIST for printing to ensure optimal results Macintosh Users can still create an image in their favorite graphics application they will just have to transfer it to a PC for printing Every image MUST print to FastRIP for final output FastRIP works as the Queue and Print Manager allowi...

Page 17: ...ct your factory trained and certified dealer FIRST If the dealer is unable to find a solution to your problem please feel free to contact U S Screen Technical Support for assistance If you purchased your Fast T Jet Blazer Pro from one of our authorized US dealers you may want to call your dealer for initial support but DO NOT feel you have to go to the dealer first Our dealers are trained and cert...

Page 18: ...tten by Scott and Pat Fresener it is the Bible of the industry Even though this book is geared toward learning the screen printing process it also contains excellent sections on the business aspects of garment decoration including marketing and selling your creations the law creating graphics and best of all a comprehensive Suppliers Directory Computer Graphics DVDs One of the hardest things to le...

Page 19: ...e worse If you take orders for printed shirts before you have even received your machine you might find that deadlines are hard to meet because of the learning curve and unexpected problems The garment business is one of deadlines such as event shirts shirts for special occasions and shirts with dates on them You must always give yourself room for error Shirt suppliers might not ship on time You m...

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Page 21: ...r storage Unpacking your Fast T Jet Blazer Pro The Fast T Jet Blazer Pro is shipped fully assembled in one large crate The only additional item you will need to install is the User Interface UI You should have received and signed a Pre Installation Checklist prior to the arrival of your printer This Checklist outlined the importance of room conditions uncrating and assembly and all the other detai...

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Page 23: ...ners Using a box level found at any hardware store check the Print Bed to ensure it and the machine are level Each ground support is threaded and can be raised or lowered to make any needed height adjustments Once you have leveled the machine tighten each locking nut against the bottom of the cabinet base Installing the User Interface The User Interface UI controls basic printer operation and is t...

Page 24: ... of the machine This means all ground support feet must be safely on the same support surface Like any Hi Tech electronic device your inkjet printer does NOT like being in a hot or cold shop or a garage without proper air conditioning controls If left unattended for days or weeks in a hot dry environment the Print Head WILL clog Consult Chapter 10 for instructions on installing refillable cleaning...

Page 25: ...he Print Head exactly where to print an image If the Encoder Strip becomes dirty or damaged the printer will get confused resulting in the printing of multiple images strips of solid ink and other irregular printing patterns Final Unpacking Instructions Remove the packing tape that was used to secure the low profile access lid and raise the cover DO NOT try to move the Print Carriage off of the Ca...

Page 26: ...DO NOT plug other high power use items such as a Heat Press into the same circuit Powering Your Printer ON and OFF When turning ON your Fast T Jet Blazer Pro you must first turn on the Main Power Switch located adjacent the AC cord Wait until the virtual LED labeled Automatic Mode becomes Red and then press the Power On Orange button This takes approximately 5 seconds When turning OFF your Fast T ...

Page 27: ...supplied to the entire bus If you have several items other than a mouse and the FastARTIST Dongle plugged into different USB ports on your computer this may cause communication issues with the printer We recommend using a dedicated computer to control your Fast T Jet Blazer Pro Avoid using extra USB ports for items such as a webcam joystick additional printer etc when printing with your Fast T Jet...

Page 28: ...much damage and protect the area with newspaper paper towels or a drop cloth It is recommended you also wear disposable gloves Your printer comes with 8 oz 250 ml bottles of Cyan Magenta Yellow and Black FastINK3 along with 1 liter of FastINK White You will also find 8 continuous flow ink cartridges and 8 funnels 1 cartridge will be used for each of the 4 colors and 4 cartridges will be dedicated ...

Page 29: ...ile ink in your printer before doing so you MUST flush out the entire Bulk Ink System using a special flushing solution available from U S Screen Failure to perform this process can result in a mixture of the two brands creating a chunky mess that might be called severe cholesterol in the ink tubes In fact this mixture will permanently clog the Print Head U S Screen is not responsible for any dama...

Page 30: ...he Reset Module to change its status The module s Red light will blink while it resets the chip The Red light will disappear when the job has been completed The process of resetting the smart chip is demonstrated in the following three Images 16 Fast T Jet Blazer Pro User s Manual ...

Page 31: ...use of the complex nature of the Epson 4800 there are many different Modes and Functions available therefore the following list is not all inclusive However it does detail the major items you may encounter in daily operation and those which are applicable to Inkjet to Garment printing For a comprehensive list of all Epson 4800 Functions and Modes consult the Epson User s Manual that has been inclu...

Page 32: ...modes Manual which would be used when running any Maintenance Utilities and Auto which enables you to choose the number of Print Passes for your garments as well as send a Print command from FastARTIST for image output To change from Manual mode to Auto mode or vice versa touch the virtual dial once You must be in Manual mode to utilize any functions on the UI or perform any Maintenance Utilities ...

Page 33: ...e sensor By using the Jog options you can control finite movements of the Printer Assembly Pressing the FOR button moves the printer incrementally toward the front of the Platen Pressing the REV button moves the printer incrementally toward the end of the Platen The Platen to Head Clearance Adjust PHCA Screen The PCHA screen is used to set the proper clearance 3mm between the Platen and the Print ...

Page 34: ...ing to Manual Return to the Alarm Select Screen and touch both Audible and Visual switches to place them in the OFF position If you wish to turn the alarm back ON it would be Mode Select Screen Manual mode Alarm Select Screen Audible and Visual Alarms ON Anytime you choose the Manual mode from the Mode Select Screen you must remember to return to that screen and switch the virtual dial to Auto to ...

Page 35: ...t Blazer Pro is a highly modified version of the Epson 4800 with hundreds of additional parts not provided by Epson As a result the Fast T Jet Blazer Pro and any driver software is NOT supported by Epson All support for the Epson driver and internal Epson components will come from U S Screen If you have any concerns installing the driver contact our Support Department and they will gladly walk you...

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Page 37: ...s of Head Cleanings available for use on the Fast T Jet Blazer Pro a regular cleaning and a Power Cleaning Both unclog the Nozzles so they can deliver ink properly However depending upon the severity of your problem your only option may be the Power Cleaning Be advised a Power Cleaning will consume a lot of ink To prevent having to do Power Cleanings we recommend initiating at least one regular he...

Page 38: ...ome to Power Clean To execute a Power Cleaning press the RIGHT arrow once The LCD display will inform you of the Power Cleaning s status in percentages At the 10 mark the display will prompt you to move both blue levers adjacent the ink cartridges into the UP position At the 20 mark you will be prompted to move both blue levers into the DOWN position You will again be prompted to move both levers ...

Page 39: ...he UI use the hand arrows to browse through the screens until you 8 find the Platen to Head Clearance Adjust PHCA option Use the UP DOWN arrows to set a Print Head clearance of approximately 9 3 mm What actually moves up and down is the Platen NOT the Print Carriage Therefore the UP button raises the Platen closer to the Print Head and the DOWN button lowers the Platen away from the Print Head Aft...

Page 40: ...er cables Take care to align the film or paper with the Shirtboard s lower right hand corner as you face the front of the printer Under the heading 5 Position press the Index button This will advance the Printer Assembly to the beginning of the Platen Using the Rev button position the Printer Assembly over the medium onto which you will print the Nozzle Check You must now change the printer mode t...

Page 41: ...anently damaged and require replacement Whether you are performing the Initial Setup or correcting minor printing concerns the following steps are necessary to perform a Print Head alignment for your Fast T Jet Blazer Pro Performing a Head Alignment on a Fast T Jet Blazer Pro will require approximately 20 30 minutes Before beginning this procedure ensure you are familiar with all the required step...

Page 42: ... left hand corner of Shirtboard 1 From the UI MMMU screen press the 7 Index button to move the Print Assembly to its Index Position the front of Platen On the printer LCD Control Panel hit the 8 Enter Key RIGHT Arrow button once The LCD Display will read Printer Setup Press the Down Arrow key 5x until the LCD Display reads Head Alignment 9 Press the 10 Enter key once and the LCD will display Paper...

Page 43: ...pear in front of the number you have selected and then the LCD Display will read 1 PK C 5 The C in this next menu item refers to the Cyan color swatch Examine the Cyan swatches and select the one closest to a perfect rectangle with no gaps or breaks in color On the LCD Display use the UP or DOWN arrow to cycle through the numbers 1 9 until it corresponds with the best rectangle you have selected P...

Page 44: ...o have the option of perform Uni Directional and Bi Directional Print Head Alignments from your computer In addition you can execute a Nozzle Check and Power Cleaning using the Epson LFP Remote Panel The Epson LFP Remote Panel can be installed on your computer from the Epson Stylus Pro 4800 Driver CD that came with your Fast T Jet Blazer Pro or you can download the Remote Panel Utility from Epson ...

Page 45: ...ustment to perform a Head Alignment or Power Cleaning to execute a Nozzle Check or Power Cleaning DO NOT change any values or run any Utilities other than those specified in this Manual Your Blazer Pro is a highly modified version of the Epson 4800 and several custom settings were implemented at the factory level If you modify any preset values it may result in significant downtime and or addition...

Page 46: ...n area 16 x 24 41 cm x 61 cm 3 in size You may also use paper to print the Head Alignment images however it will be very difficult to see White ink on White paper Align your paper or other media with the upper left hand corner of Shirtboard 1 With the Printer in the Index position Shirtboard 1 is the Shirtboard that is now directly beneath the Assembly Press 4 Print Refer to Step 17 page 28 29 for...

Page 47: ...Power Cleanings To execute a Nozzle Check test print or a Power Cleaning select Power Cleaning from the Epson Remote Panel Main Screen Within the next screen select your printer from the dropdown menu and click on the desired function When the procedure is complete click Exit If the Nozzle Check does not print correctly perform a regular head cleaning This is done by holding down the RIGHT arrow b...

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Page 49: ...ore devices plugged in the more power drain that will occur In order to run FastARTIST you MUST use a Windows based Operating System such as XP 2000 or Vista Windows ME is not supported MAC users can create their artwork in their favorite program and simply network or copy the files over to the PC workstation Graphics and RIP Software Your Fast T Jet Blazer Pro includes the latest versions of both...

Page 50: ...er your printer comes with two very powerful programs FastARTIST and FastRIP FastARTIST is a complete graphics program much like CorelDRAW and Adobe Photoshop You can use it for all of your graphic image creation or you can create images in CorelDRAW or Adobe Photoshop and import them into FastARTIST to take advantage of the one click Underbase Wizard or simple clipping options FastRIP FastRIP is ...

Page 51: ...ment is not the same as taking your digital camera s memory card to the drug store and getting pictures made Yes it would seem that simple and it CAN be but in the world of T Shirt printing there are many variables Image Types Vector Currently there are two types of graphics programs Vector and Bitmap FastARTIST CorelDRAW Adobe Illustrator and Macromedia Freehand are called vector programs Vector ...

Page 52: ... to CorelDRAW and Photoshop those already familiar with other graphics programs can quickly master FastARTIST Editing Bitmap Artwork in FastARTIST Photoshop The following sections gives Tips and suggestions for creating artwork suitable for printing on your Fast T Jet Blazer Pro Remember if you are proficient in a graphics program other than the new FastARTIST create the images where you are most ...

Page 53: ...FastARTIST making it a very complimentary program to have when working with bitmap images The goal here is to cover the basics of image editing so that you can print the best looking images possible When first learning graphics programs the process may seem a bit overwhelming but don t get frustrated Just keep in mind the 80 30 rule You use 30 of the program 80 of the time But in this case it s ac...

Page 54: ...ety of files including TIFF JPEG GIF EPS PSD AI and others If you open a file that is vector based such as one from Adobe Illustrator Photoshop will convert the file from mathematical vectors to small pixels This is called Rasterizing a file The important point here is to keep the file resolution high enough for the image to remain sharp It is generally accepted that a file needs to be at 300 DPI ...

Page 55: ... Images may have softer edges when upsampled but they will also be less pixilated If you can get a higher resolution file from the client do so CorelDRAW and Adobe Illustrator have similar Image Size functions Important Point If the original file is low resolution and not the final size you need to upsample the file to the final print size and 150 to 300 DPI 150 is OK for photos and images without...

Page 56: ...Go to Bitmap Filters Sharpen Unsharp Mask FastARTIST or Filter Sharpen Unsharp Masking Photoshop Don t let the term Unsharp fool you This term comes from the process camera days and means it only sharpens areas of high contrast The reality is it sharpens the image but keeps it less apparent that you have sharpened the image Move the Amount slider to 150 Set the Pixel Radius to 1 and the Threshold ...

Page 57: ...ge By clicking on the very top corner and dragging the mouse in you can make the highlights lighter Photoshop Play around with the Tone Curve and see what happens A good curve for flat images is a slight S where you lighten the highlight area 35 and darken the shadow area 75 In later versions of Photoshop CS through CS3 similar adjustments can be made using the Shadow Highlight dialogue under Imag...

Page 58: ...o remove the marching ants go to the Select De Select You can also use the keyboard shortcut of Ctrl D If you want to select square or round areas use the Marquee Tool top left tool and use this the same way you would use the Lasso tool Channels and Layers What really separates Photoshop from FastARTIST and CorelDRAW is the ability to work in Layers to build images Therefore whenever you are using...

Page 59: ... click on the Eye icon next to the selected color This acts like a toggle switch so selecting it again will deactive any transparent color Removing Backgrounds with Photoshop In order to make removing backgrounds as easy as possible try to maintain a consistent neutral background if possible For example if photographing the motorcycle shown below park in front of a wall or a background that contai...

Page 60: ... FastARTIST both have Magic Wand tools it looks like a wand with a sparkler on the end Using the Extract Filter Photoshop also has a Filter called Extract This will allow you to draw around an image and fill the center with color Photoshop then removes all the areas around the image leaving you with a transparent background Extract does a decent job but the Magic Wand is the preferred method Keep ...

Page 61: ... and ready to print You must check the resolution and upsample the file if necessary Make adjustments if it needs sharpness or boost color saturation if the file is dull Lighten the file if it seems too dark because the image may print even darker Artwork for Light and Dark Garments To set up artwork properly it is imperative to know first onto what color garment the image is to be printed This wi...

Page 62: ...vers the file setup process in depth including how to prepare files for printing onto both Light and Dark shirts For step by step instructions and additional Hints and Tips please refer to the FastARTIST User s Manual For information about the Photoshop CorelDRAW or Illustrator processes addressed in this Chapter please refer to that application s User s Manual or In program Help section 48 Fast T...

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Page 65: ...ife in the garment decorating industry In the beginning you will have to worry about the print placement and getting the image in the graphics program coordinated to the correct location on the shirt Your printer will also need to be broken in a little When you first install the bulk system there is a chance not all the inks are flowing yet You won t really know this until you have done a print or...

Page 66: ...tible the rest of your printer is not DO NOT set anything atop the Platen IT IS NOT A STORAGE SHELF and it WILL WARP DO NOT apply any cleaner or glues to the foam rubber pads they will crumble and disintegrate leaving a mess on your shirts The storage cabinets beneath your printer are provided for your convenience to help you store shirts inks etc Here are the steps for printing Flip the Power Swi...

Page 67: ...on by pushing it back toward the 4 printer until its ends are even with the ends of the Bed Rail Choose the artwork you wish to print 5 You can print directly to FastRIP from your favorite graphics application if you are not outputting an Underbase or Highlight White or you can print from within FastARTIST Ensure the image is the correct size and that you have placed it in on a Page that is the sa...

Page 68: ... on a block of color to delete it FastARTIST has pre loaded templates of 13 x 16 standard or 16 x 20 oversized to match the Shirtboard sizes If you are creating images in Photoshop or another graphics application make sure you create Page Sizes that reflect these dimensions When you open the Template keep in mind printing speed when importing graphics You can also place graphics sideways in a temp...

Page 69: ...will result in serious printer errors and ruined garments We recommend you do ALL of your printing through FastRIP and FastARTIST even if you are NOT using White ink After completing your design in another graphics application Import that design into FastARTIST and use the provided templates for optimal printer performance 55 How Print Mode selection will look if you print directly from Adobe Phot...

Page 70: ...I for CMYK and 1440 DPI for the Underbase For images on light garments in which no Underbase is used a 2 Pass Print Mode will result in better color saturation CMYK Cartoon and Photo Print Modes The Fast T Jet Blazer Pro has three basic modes for printing Cartoon Photo and Underbase The Cartoon and Photo Print Modes will print the image in color when printing from FastARTIST or any other graphics ...

Page 71: ...n three different resolutions you have the ability to select the proper mode to match your graphic image For dark shirts try using the 1440 DPI Print Mode to achieve a stronger more consistent Underbase This is due to the fact that the higher resolution will dispense more ink at a slower speed creating an extremely even coverage If you are printing on lighter colored shirts it may not be necessary...

Page 72: ...tant Point All curing times and temperatures ARE RECOMMENDED STARTING POINTS Shirts may scorch if cured too long A Heat Press will provide a more even cure and when printing with White ink you will see less shirt fibers through the ink Before doing your first production run it is important you do a test washing for proper cure Variables such as climate and the amount of ink used can extend cure ti...

Page 73: ...the garment during a printing cycle if the unit has been setting for a few days or if the Print Head strikes a garment Press the RIGHT arrow button for three seconds to have the Fast T Jet Blazer Pro initiate a Head Cleaning cycle You may do this in the middle of a print job if necessary The best way to check print quality is to do a Nozzle Check If you have been printing a lot of shirts or if som...

Page 74: ... printer you know that it is sometimes hard to kill a print job When you send a Print command from your graphics application or FastARTIST the FastRIP does its calculations and then sends the job to the Windows Print Manager It is almost impossible to stop a print job within the RIP if the job is still in the Print Manager To open Print Manager double click on the small printer icon on the lower r...

Page 75: ...ctivation To reset your system please do the following Turn OFF power to your machine by flipping the breaker switch located 1 next to the AC power cord If you do not turn OFF the breaker the Printer Assembly may immediately activate the Kill Switch again after reset Move the Printer Assembly 3 4 toward the center of the Platen 2 Reboot your system and power ON your printer 3 Should you experience...

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Page 77: ...p of the garment and remain White Warnings and Cautions Your Fast T Jet Blazer Pro is shipped with the latest innovation in textile ink FastINK Bright White This ink is the best in the industry at producing bright Whites and brilliant Highlights We recommend that as part of your daily routine you remove each of the White Ink Bulk Cartridges and gently agitate it Place your index finger over the ca...

Page 78: ... dispensed in order to warn you when the cartridge is empty When printing with White ink it does not take much ink usage before the chip tells the printer it is out If this happens DURING a printing pass the printer may stop printing and the Ink Level Indicator on the LCD Display for one or more of the White ink cartridges will start flashing If you turn the printer off during this process you wil...

Page 79: ... Pretreatment should only be used with medium to dark colored garments due to possible discoloration of light shirts when exposed to direct sunlight FastBRIGHT Pretreatment works extremely well with light colored garments and images that have an Underbase Using FastBRIGHT creates vibrant images with rich deep Blacks and Reds that will not discolor when exposed to direct sunlight FastCOLOR reduces ...

Page 80: ...atment after you are done pretreating the shirt you may have applied too much Pretreatment or the heat press is set for too much pressure Standard butcher paper or brown Kraft paper can also be used as a heat press protector when drying the Pretreatment Clamp the press down with medium pressure for 8 to 10 seconds when drying Pretreatment at 330 F Some users have reported slightly better wash dura...

Page 81: ...nsionality This is the art to printing bright and soft prints on Dark garment You must tell FastRIP what 3 Print Modes to use for both the White ink and Top Colors Once you have made these selections they can be used again for other jobs For Dark shirts you can get very good Screen Print quality White if you select a 1440 DPI Print Mode for the Underbase For the top colors of Cyan Magenta Yellow B...

Page 82: ...re available from most Heat Press manufacturers Important Point When printing gradient images with White ink you should have two versions of the artwork One version will have a White background and the other will have a Black background These two files can be created in Photoshop Adobe Illustrator CorelDRAW or even in FastARTIST If you use another program simply save or export the files as a JPEG ...

Page 83: ... washed in COLD water and dried on delicate If possible include washing directions with the finished print When you apply the Pretreatment correctly and choose the proper Print Modes you should get very detailed bright prints like these 69 Chapter 7 An Overview of Printing with White Ink ...

Page 84: ...ing White ink ON TOP of the CMYK colors Reload the image into FastARTIST and rerun the Underbase Highlight Wizard Try not applying a Highlight or toning down the Highlight Solution 4 Dry ink may be causing the Print Head to not seal properly Due to the nature of the White ink pigment it will build up faster on the capping station and on the wiper blade Dry White ink around the rim of the Capping S...

Page 85: ... much more With the help of Fast T Jet Non Textile Series Pre Post Treatment FastINK will adhere to almost any type of surface Location and Placement The hardest part of printing on odd size items is determining their print location Remember if you are facing your machine the outer right edge is zero in your graphics program You can simply make a template or custom page size to match the size of y...

Page 86: ... Size FastRIP Setup Go to File FastRIP Setup For more information about printing on caps or Non Textile such as golf balls there is a downloadable PDF available at www screenprinters net Adjusting the Platen Height For the best prints the printable surface should set to 1 8inch 3mm below the Print Head If the item has a seam or excess fabric these areas should be lower than the main printing surfa...

Page 87: ... IS INCLUDED WITH THESE PRODUCTS KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN Getting Started It is necessary to determine if the surface intended for printing will allow the Pretreatment to stick Certain surfaces will accept the direct application of the Non Textile Pretreatment while others will require first require a coat of Non Textile Primer Generally smooth surfaces such as light switches keyboards lighte...

Page 88: ...y with hot water to remove all Primer residue This product can be sprayed on but the application may not be as smooth as necessary for good print reproduction If applying with an airbrush spray bottle or paint sprayer you may need to dilute the solution with water If you dilute the Primer two coats may be necessary Clean up spills and brushes with soap and water immediately after use Allow the Pri...

Page 89: ...n even layer to ensure optimal print quality Use a second brush to apply Pretreatment After the application is complete clean the brush thoroughly with hot water to remove all residual Pretreatment This product may be sprayed on but the application may not be as smooth as necessary for good print reproduction If applying with an airbrush spray bottle or paint sprayer you may need to dilute the sol...

Page 90: ...on s Owner s Manual if needed Setup the printing area in which you will be printing on To do this you will 1 need a measuring tape and will need to measure the width and height of the Non Textile item From within FastARTIST select File FastRIP Setup From the 2 Setup window select Page Setup In the Page Setup window select Custom under the Page option Enter the Height and Width of the Non textile i...

Page 91: ...to dry thoroughly before printing Dry time will vary 3 but it may take up to one hour or more To speed up the drying process use a hair dryer heat lamp or heat gun set on a low temperature setting Golf Ball Holder Placement Align the four holes in the base of the Golf Ball Holder with the four pins on the Platen designed for the FIRST Shirtboard Place several golf balls within the Holder and use t...

Page 92: ...oroughly Apply a thin coat holding the can 4 to 8 inches from surface and using a swift motion to prevent overspray and unwanted build up If build up does occur use a lacquer thinner to remove A second coat may be applied after approximately two minutes of drying time Allow treated surfaces to dry for 30 minutes to one hour in a clean dust free area before handling Allow 24 hours cure time prior t...

Page 93: ... to achieve cross ventilation Use only with adequate ventilation Do not breathe dust vapors or spray mist Ensure fresh air entry during application and drying If you experience eye watering headache or dizziness or if air monitoring demonstrates that vapor mist levels are above applicable limits wear an appropriate properly filled respirator NIOSH MSHA approved during and after application Follow ...

Page 94: ... drying out and ruining the brushes When printing on Non Textile items use a piece of film that covers the whole o item and print a test print on the film to see if it is in alignment with the desired printing area The maximum printable area of a Fast T Jet Blazer Pro is 17 x 45 To o maximize production you can line up multiple items to print more then one item at a time If you have a Heat Press y...

Page 95: ... button on the LCD Control Panel for 3 seconds In addition you should always turn your printer OFF when not in use to allow it to go through a regular head cleaning cycle on start up Auto Head Cleaning Optional from FastRIP A new feature of FastRIP 9 0 is the ability to schedule an Auto Head Cleaning session One of the most common problems with printing white ink is the ink s tendency to clog the ...

Page 96: ...system DO NOT get into the routine of just resetting the Waste Tank chip It is extremely important you visually check the state the Waste Tank collection pads If they look like they need replacing replace them Failure to change the Waste Tank pads when necessary WILL cause ink to overflow from the Tank and onto critical components of your printer In addition to having a large mess to clean up you ...

Page 97: ...rment Shirtboard or other object the Print Head will probably need to be replaced If you leave the printer unattended for long periods of time a serious clog may result and the Print Head will probably need to be replaced Replacing the Print Head takes less than 30 minutes and there is an instructional video available online at www screenprinters net You can also download an Installation Guide in ...

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Page 99: ...iness when you purchased your Fast T Jet Blazer Pro In order to get the most out of it please take the time to learn the simple steps that will keep your printer happy and making you money Keep Your Encoder Strip Clean A main concern of many who call our Support Department is when the printer gets confused while printing an image The way an inkjet printer tells the Print Head what and where to pri...

Page 100: ...n the rest of the Encoder Strip Allow the Encoder Strip AIR DRY The Encoder Strip is actually translucent with small marks on it Be careful to NOT scratch it or the Print Head sensor will not read it correctly Only use FOAM TIP cleaning swabs or Isopropyl Alcohol Pads when doing any maintenance or cleaning inside your Fast T Jet Blazer Pro Turning Off Your Printer Turn OFF the machine at night usi...

Page 101: ... to move it out of position or the Print Head will not seat properly If you push down on it too hard it WILL move off of its mount When cleaning the Print Head only clean the around the sides DO NOT touch the Nozzles Humidity and Environmental Control Controlling the environment in which your Fast T Jet Blazer Pro lives is a must During the cold winter months dry heat is often pumped into a room T...

Page 102: ...s will help prevent Print Head and Capping Station issues caused by dried ink This is especially important if the printer will be idle longer than ONE day 24 hrs Refer to Chapter 7 of your FastARTIST User s Manual for details on configuring this feature In the event your Fast T Jet Blazer Pro is going to sit more than 30 days without use you MUST Remove all of the bulk ink cartridges and replace t...

Page 103: ...or this task RAM and Your Computer RAM is the temporary memory that your computer uses when processing complex data RAM is NOT expensive and most computers ship with only 512mb of RAM which is not enough especially when using FastARTIST and FastRIP Your computer should have 1 to 2 GB of RAM If using or upgrading to Windows Vista you will need at least 2GB of RAM for proper operation of your printe...

Page 104: ... it If you feel shirts you are using generate excess lint use a Pet Hair Pickup Roller on the shirt after it is placed on the Shirtboard You may also preheat them in a Heat Press for just a few seconds to flatten the fibers No Windex The Red Plexiglas window on the top of your Fast T Jet Blazer Pro does not like Windex Using this as a cleaning solution will cause the window to crack and possibly b...

Page 105: ...hroughout the day as necessary to prevent ink spills on printer components and random ink drops on garments Clean the Print Head Clean any accumulated ink or garment fibers from around the sides and on the bottom of the Print Head with a foam tip swab water glass cleaner or cleaning fluid Clean only the sides of the Print Head DO NOT touch the nozzles Clean the Encoder Strip During printing and He...

Page 106: ...ge Drive Belt Gear Clean it with a brush or computer vacuum Make sure to avoid any contact with the encoder strip It is fragile and can be easily damaged Monthly Maintenance Lube the Rail Guides and Rails You will need to lubricate the Rails and Rail Guides on a Monthly basis to facilitate the Print Assembly moving smoothly during image output This procedure will help prevent banding as well as se...

Page 107: ...ean lint free cloth DO NOT use any other lubricate such as WD 40 or Machine Oil or you risk contamination of the Rail Guides Do Not Lubricate the Drive Screw The Drive Screw MUST NEVER be lubricated or wiped off with a chemical solvent This is due to a special coating that has already been placed on the Drive Screw to prevent dust buildup that could potentially hinder the fluid movement of the Pri...

Page 108: ...ead Cleanings beginning after shift Power Off at End of Day Comments Notes Perform a nozzle check before printing Daily Tasks Performed Date Initials Check Ink Levels Clean Encoder Strip Clean Print Head Clean Capping Station and Wiper Head Cleanings beginning after shift Power Off at End of Day Comments Notes Perform a nozzle check before printing Daily Tasks Performed Date Initials Check Ink Lev...

Page 109: ... the output temperature to ensure it actually matches your desired settings Refer to Chapter 6 for curing times and details Problem The first printed image is great but the Underbase and Top Color registration is off for subsequent images Causes You are using a Page Size greater than the maximum printable area Make sure you are using the pre made templates within FastARTIST You have pressed the Gr...

Page 110: ... much pressure in the bulk system ink lines forcing ink out of the Print Head Altitude can have an effect The bulk ink system requires the proper vacuum pressure to siphon the ink into the Print Head If you are having an unusual amount of problems and are at a higher altitude don t fill the ink bottles as full Faulty bulk system Call Technical Support Prevention Always check the Platen to Print He...

Page 111: ...50 blends of cotton and polyester the ink needs to be cured quickly to reduce possible bleeding FastINK will NOT work on most synthetic materials such as waterproof Nylon The garment was washed improperly Wash in cold water and dry on a delicate dryer setting Prevention Make sure your Heat Press is heating up evenly and reaching the correct temperature Pretreat evenly and away from printer Cure Pr...

Page 112: ...nd fix a clogged nozzle Note When building any image inside any software program make sure you always use RGB color mode because this is how your monitor displays colors Never apply an ICC profile Problem Prints are out of alignment or there are large gaps in the print Causes Different Print Modes are being used Double check settings in the FastRIP Setup screen and make sure all Print Modes are of...

Page 113: ...mmand Clean the Encoder Strip weekly Always make sure images are the same size when using the Underbase Wizard in FastARTIST Test the communication between the computer and printer Problem Fonts are not printing correctly on the garment Causes Sometimes fonts especially script fonts may not print correctly or print at all This tends to happen when using Vector Programs The printer driver may not d...

Page 114: ...em When printing White ink no ink prints or there are no Underbase settings available Causes and Solutions You do not have the correct printer selected in FastRIP Open FastRIP and navigate to Printers Manage Printers and make sure your printer is setup as a Fast T Jet Blazer Pro If it is NOT setup as a Blazer Pro FastRIP doesn t know that it needs to use the White ink Problem When you send a print...

Page 115: ...RTIST are not strong enough or not set up correctly Check your Underbase settings and compare them to the default settings listed in Chapter 9 of the FastARTIST Manual Keep in mind every image will vary this is just a starting point Prevention Practice is the only way to master the art of pretreating a shirt Eventually you will develop your own style for to applying Pretreatment Try pressing your ...

Page 116: ... Nozzles to be in perfect alignment Additionally when using this setting head clogs tend to appear as banding Prevention Clean Capping Station daily Run Head Cleanings before printing in the morning as well as printing a Nozzle Check to gauge the status of the Print Head prior to printing onto garments Make sure the bulk ink system tubes don t have any air in them prior to printing Problem Files t...

Page 117: ...d behind the Print Head lies an Encoder Strip Sensor The Encoder Strip has information on it that the Encoder Strip Sensor reads as the Print Head moves back and forth If there is ANY contamination Pretreatment dirt ink or debris on the Encoder Strip or on the Encoder Strip Sensor the printer will be VERY CONFUSED This is the 1 cause of abnormal printing problems Clean the Encoder Strip with Glass...

Page 118: ...blem The quality of the printed output is unacceptable when printing bitmap images The images seem soft and are not clean and sharp The resolution at final size is 72 DPI Causes The resolution of the image is too low Resolution at 72 DPI is for viewing the image on a computer monitor only Images intended for printing need to be between 150 and 225 DPI to maintain a clean and sharp image You can tr...

Page 119: ... can short out the motherboard Capping Station Clogged The Capping Station may need cleaning If the Print Head did not seat properly ALL of the nozzles could be clogged Problem The image is printing outside of the shirtboard or in the wrong location Causes You have a mismatch in the software settings Make sure your working Page Size matches the final print page size A common error is working on on...

Page 120: ... through its startup procedures turn it OFF to ensure the Print Head seats within the Capping Station NOTE Always make sure you observe the proper procedures for powering ON and OFF your printer to avoid damaging the Print Head Problem When printing vector graphics the printed colors do not match the previews in my graphics application Causes FastRIP is a bitmap based image processor When rasteriz...

Page 121: ...For consistent color reproduction save your image as a high quality JPEG and send this image to the RIP for printing 107 Chapter 11 Troubleshooting ...

Page 122: ...108 Fast T Jet Blazer Pro User s Manual ...

Page 123: ...t Hours Toll Free 1 888 MYTJETS 698 5387 Technical Support 1 480 929 2937 Corporate Office 1 480 929 0640 Fax 1 480 929 0766 E mail support usscreen com Internet www screenprinters net Click on the Support tab Support hours 7 00am to 8 00pm Monday through Friday 9 00am to 3 00pm Saturday and Sunday Mountain Standard Time USA 24 hr Emergency Support is available Note Arizona does not observe Daylig...

Page 124: ... inexpensive web cam for your computer and talk LIVE to one of our support technicians More information about how to use this amazing support technology is on the Fast T Jet Blazer Pro Support page at www screenprinters net Free Personalized Internet Web Support Our Technical Support site is a secure and personalized area where Fast T Jet User s can download the latest software updates view techni...

Page 125: ...ll support for Epson drivers applications and internal Epson components will come from U S Screen Third Party Software Support We will make every attempt to help with printing from programs like CorelDRAW Photoshop Illustrator etc but we do not offer free support or training on these programs Show off Your Work If you want to brag about the things you ve printed on your Fast T Jet Blazer Pro or ar...

Page 126: ...very heavy and a delicate piece of equipment You can move it to a different location in your shop as long as you make sure it remains level To ship it back for repair or prior to moving it to a new location you MUST call Technical Support for specific instructions 112 Fast T Jet Blazer Pro User s Manual ...

Page 127: ...eserves the right to make changes to the information contained in this Manual without prior notice The User of this Manual should consult with a U S Screen representative to determine if any such changes have been made Standards Compliance The Fast T Jet Blazer Pro printer has been tested and verified to conform to the appropriate European Directives and as such bears the CE marking Radio Frequenc...

Page 128: ...ny questions regarding these instructions should be brought to the attention of a U S Screen Representative Summary of Customer Responsibilities The Customer must Provide an area that meets the requirements described in this Manual The Fast T Jet Blazer Pro inkjet printer requires a minimum area of 12 ft x 10 ft 3 6 m x 3 6 m for the printer and surrounding work space Additional areas rooms are re...

Page 129: ... s Manual including keeping the Print Head and Capping Station cleaned Room Preparation The first step in preparing the workspace is to plan the location of each system component Make a complete list of all equipment and supplies to be accommodated in your garment printing area and define the workflow between this equipment Identify efficient operational techniques Environment The printer will ope...

Page 130: ...Pro printer is REQUIRED for proper machine function This machine does not produce odors and the ink is non toxic however adequate ventilation is required for the use of Pretreatment When curing shirts chemicals released from the shirt are non toxic but may be eye irritants Room Conditions Temperature 68 to 85 F 20 to 29 C Relative Humidity 40 to 80 non condensing Floor Strong enough to support equ...

Page 131: ... buck boost transformer to bring the printer supply voltage within this range No warranty express or implied will be honored for equipment operated on voltages beyond the stated range For convenience during setup and normal maintenance have electrical outlets at local voltage located near the intended area of operation Main Operator The Fast T Jet Blazer Pro printer requires one main operator who ...

Page 132: ...tional Heat press dryer powerful PC computer for FastARTIST Machinery and FastRIP Print Resolutions 2880 X 1440dpi 1440 X 720dpi 720 X 720dpi 360 X 360dpi Max Printable Surface 17 x 45 43 x 119cm Room Conditions The printer requires a clean dust free room at constant temperature between 68 F and 85 F 20 C and 29 C with a relative humidity between 40 to 80 non condensing Operation of the printer at...

Page 133: ...ot be held legally responsible for shipping damage unless they are notified within 15 days of delivery Shipment Movement Use appropriate personnel and equipment to move the equipment from the transportation truck to the receiving area to the staging area Measure aisle doorways and archways to ensure that there is enough clearance for the Fast T Jet Blazer Pro printer to pass unobstructed 36 inches...

Page 134: ...ate The printer base has wheels to facilitate transport on a level hard floor You may also use an alternate lifting system with an overhead crane Retain ALL packaging material crates cartons straps etc for use should you ever need to transport or re ship the machine 120 Fast T Jet Blazer Pro User s Manual ...

Page 135: ...d files A display monitor with high resolution 1280 x 1024 CD ROM or DVD drives for installing the software A dedicated USB port 2 0 The connection of a mouse and Dongle will require additional free USB ports Recommended System Requirements PC with a Intel Core 2 Duo Processor or AMD Athlon X2 and Windows XP 2000 or Vista Operating System Windows ME is not supported 3 GB of RAM and a dedicated gra...

Page 136: ... the user to obtain and use a shielded equipment interface cable with this device If this equipment has more than one interface connector do not leave cables connected to unused interfaces Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the manufacturer could void the authority to operate the equipment For Canadian Users This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES 003 Declaration...

Page 137: ...thorize any On site repair and is considered to be a depot warranty which requires that the Unit or defective part be returned freight prepaid to U S Screen in Tempe Arizona USA or to an authorized service center for repair This limited warranty does not include the print head Replacement print heads are available from U S Screen All prices and design specifications subject to change The Fast T Je...

Page 138: ...ization must be obtained from U S Screen before any Unit or part will be accepted Replacement parts are sent out freight collect Parts sent out prior to receiving defective part will be sent C O D cost plus freight Upon return of defective part if it is deemed that the part was not damaged by customer but failed the cost of the replacement part will be refunded THE GUARANTEE AND REMEDY PROVIDED AB...

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